May 19, 2009

Elections!

In Bangalore, BJP won all the three Parliamentary segments. Bangalore South has been sending non congress MPs right since 1977, with 1989, an exception, when Sri. Gundu rao got elected. In 1977, Justice K S Hegde was elected on Janatha Party ticket and he later on occupied the speaker’s chair in the Lok sabha. In 1980, it was the veteran Bangalore leader Sri. T R Shamanna who was elected by the voters. In 1984, elections held after the assassination of Smt. Indira Gandhi, it was the turn of Sri.V S Krishna Iyer, the then Minister and former mayor to become MP from this constituency. In 1989, as earlier mentioned, it was former CM Gundu Rao. In 1991, BJP opened its account and its candidate Prof. Venkatagiri Gowda, the renowned economist was got elected. From 1996, i.e, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004 and now 2009, Sri.Ananthakumar’s unabated run continues.

Delimitation of Constituencies has carved out 3 Parliamentary segments in Bangalore. Voters of Bangalore have totally reassured their faith in BJP and its candidates this time. BJP has won 19 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, a morale boosting victory!

Our CM, Sri. BS Yeddyurappa’s Government has got a fresh approval now. Obviously, all of our Party workers are elated. But this happiness has a tinge of sadness as NDA’s performance at the Centre was far below the expectation of all of us.

I am personally more dejected because, our dream to see Sri. LK Advani as the Prime minister of our Country did not realize.

It was on the 14th Nov 1975, I first came in to contact with Sri.LK Advani ji, when we were co-detenues in Bangalore central jail courtesy, Mrs. Indira Gandhi. Even before that meet, I had seen and heard about him. But that meeting inside the jail barracks him as a role model for me. His language, his composure, thoughtful words, unconditional patriotism and versatile knowledge, attracted me. I had many interactions during those 15 months at the Central jail, Bangalore. Later on, in 1977, he became the Information and Broadcasting minister at the Centre.

In 1984, in the elections held in the aftermath of Mrs.Gandhi’s assassination, BJP could get only two seats in the entire country. That was a very big blow to the Party. From those two seats, BJP transformed itself as a ruling Party in 1998 and the real architect of this victory march was undoubtedly Sri. LK Advani. His single minded pursuit made BJP to take the power into its hands.

I personally wished that Sri. Advani should have become the PM in this election as he rightly deserved. The Country should have made use of experience, knowledge and grit. Anyone who has read Sri. LK Advani ji’s autobiography, “My Country My people” will definitely understand my feelings.

Alas! We have to bow before our peoples’ mandate with distress in our hearts!